


The Princess' Pet

by rumplestiltskinsbulge



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumbelle Showdown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3797308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumplestiltskinsbulge/pseuds/rumplestiltskinsbulge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>written as part of Round 2 of the 2015 rumbelleshowdown under the name Gaston.</p>
<p>Prompts: Think of me, A new pet, Bloodied feet</p>
<p>Possible trigger warnings. Small amounts of blood, implied abuse/torture.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Princess' Pet

When her betrothed had arrived, the Princess of Avonlea found herself a bit disappointed. He was cordial and handsome, but in the little time they had spent in each other’s company, he had proved to be extraordinarily dull. Her handmaidens had told her that they’d heard Sir Gaston was handsome, charming, clever, and very funny. As she’d watched him look himself over in the mirror above the fireplace of her reception room for the third time, Belle had had to wonder what sort of women would give such a glowing review to her ladies in waiting.

Perhaps she was missing something, she decided. Maybe she just had to get to know him. Any hope Belle had of falling in love with him left her, however, as he presented her with a gift for their upcoming nuptials.

“A dagger?” She was confused as to what she was supposed to do with a weapon. Gaston’s smile seemed to hold a bit of annoyance in it. “It’s not just a dagger, Belle.” He took it from the ornate box it had been in and handed it to her. “It belonged to my father, and his father before him, and his before that. The dagger has magical properties.”

The kris blade had a word etched into it, and Belle lifted it to get a better look. “Rum– Rumplestiltskin?” The moment the new word left her lips, a man appeared in a puff of purple smoke. Belle gasped, startled by both his sudden arrival and his disheveled appearance. The man was strange to behold, with greyish-green skin flecked with gold in a way that gave him an almost reptilian appearance, accentuated by his wide, dark, amber eyes. His dull, brown hair was matted and messy, and he looked to Belle like a madman.

“Belle, meet Rumplestiltskin.” Gaston stood and gestured to the stranger. “Bow,” he commanded harshly, and Rumplestiltskin did as he was told. “Once a great sorcerer known as the Dark One, he is now nothing but a feral dog. Feral, but obedient,” he assured her, moving back to make himself comfortable on one of her couches. “With that dagger, he is now your dog to do with as you please. He will keep you safe and give you anything you desire.”

Belle was horrified. Not by the wretched creature that was bowing before her, but by the monster of a man who had given him to her. Her first instinct was to give the dagger back to Gaston and insist that she would have nothing to do with this. But as she looked at the poor man who had been so utterly broken by what must have been decades of cruelty and abuse, she knew she had to keep him. If anything, to save him from anymore cruelty.

She stood, moving closer to where Rumplestiltskin knelt. “Rise, Rumplestiltskin.” Closer to him now, she could see the wild look in his eyes. Any doubts about keeping him vanished. “I think he will make a nice new little pet,” she told Gaston, feigning as much delight as she could. “Thank you.”

Gaston seemed proud of himself, and Belle felt sick at the sight of him.

She called in her handmaidens and told them to show her new pet to her bedchambers and bring him food and water. She assured him she would attend him when she’d finished speaking with her father about getting him a room to stay in. Gaston told her that she needn’t bother with a room, that the beast could stay in the stables with the other animals. “I won’t have my little pet stinking of the stables when he attends me,” she said sternly.

After her handmaidens left nervously with the wizard trailing behind, Belle thanked her fiancé once more before taking her leave. She didn’t want to be around him any more than she had to. She spoke with her father and, though he found it odd, he was glad that Belle would have a powerful protector at her side. They decided that the hardly used sitting room beside her bedroom would be converted into a bed chamber for him.

With that done, she made her way to her rooms. She found Rumplestiltskin standing, the food on the small table untouched. Belle offered him a smile. “You must be hungry.”

“No, mistress.” His voice was accented and strained.

“Your trip was long. Are you certain you wouldn’t at least like some wine or water?”

“No, mistress.” His eyes were trained on the ground in front of her, and Belle looked him up and down. His clothes were old, dirty, and slightly too big for him. He was twig thin and gaunt.

“Come closer, Rumple– may I call you Rumple?”

“As my mistress wishes.” He moved closer to her, and as he did she noticed that with each step there seemed to be increasing pain.

“Are you hurt?” There was concern in her azure eyes and soft voice.

“No, mistress– I-I’m fine.” Belle didn’t believe him.

“Tell the truth,” she ordered.

“My feet,” He answered automatically. Belle gestured to the chair by the table.

“Sit, pet. Let me see.” Hesitantly, Rumplestiltskin moved to sit where she’d told him to and removed the shoe he wore. His feet were marred with blisters and cuts, blood coming from the wounds. “How did this happen?” she demanded softly, gesturing for her ladies in waiting to come to her. She told them to bring her rags, a bowl of warm water, and some salve and bandages from the palace’s doctor.

“Master Gaston told me to walk beside his company.”

“The whole way?” Rumple nodded and Belle’s shock registered on her face. It was a trip of several days, and to walk all that way and keep up with their horses… Belle moved swiftly to kneel before him, taking his clawed hands into her soft and delicate ones. He stiffened under her touch, eyes widening in surprise. “I am so sorry. I swear to you that I will be kind to you. You will never be mistreated again. I will take good care of you, my sweet little pet, I promise.”

Rumplestiltskin watched her, as though he were worried it might all be some sort of a trick. “Master Gaston–”

“–is no longer your master. I am your mistress, and I won’t allow him or anyone else to mistreat you.” She squeezed his hands as her handmaiden returned with the rags and bowl of water. He didn’t trust her, but she didn’t blame him. Trust had to be earned, and he had had far too many horrible experiences for his trust to come easily.

“Leave us,” she told her ladies in waiting as another brought the salve and bandages. When they’d closed the door, Belle reached to take him by the ankle.

“M’lady, no…” He pulled away in surprise. “You mustn’t. You’re my mistress, it is my job to wash your feet.”

“I am your mistress, and I will do as I please,” she said sternly, grasping his ankle. “Now– this may sting, but I need to clean the wounds.” Her hands were gentle as she placed his foot into the water and began to gently slough away the dirt and blood. It wasn’t long before the water was dark and dirty. “I’ll need to get the ladies to bring us more water,” she said, more to herself than to him.

Rumplestiltskin leaned down and waved a hand over the water. When he removed his hand the water was clean, and Belle gaped up at him. “How did you–?” Right. He was a sorcerer. “Thank you, Rumple.” She continued her work, cleaning his feet as carefully as she could while he periodically cleansed the water for her. When she’d finished drying them, she gently worked the salve into some of the deeper cuts and blister and rubbed the excess along his minor wounds.

“Why?” he asked her in awe. “Why would you help me, mistress?”

“Because no one deserves to be treated the way that beast of a man has treated you,” she said softly as she bandaged his feet.

“I deserved it. I made him angry. Don’t make him angry, mistress,” Rumple warned.

“Don’t you worry about me,” she chided. “I can handle Sir Gaston.” She paused at her work and looked up at him momentarily. “Does he frighten you?” Rumplestiltskin didn’t say or do anything, but he looked away from her and she had her answer.

She sat up enough to stroke his cheek. He shrunk away from her touch, but eased a little when he saw she wouldn’t hurt him. “My sweet, little pet…” Her eyes watered and sorrow filled her heart at the thought of what must have happened to him for so many years. “You’ve no need to fear him. If you ever find yourself afraid, just think of me and remember that I will always protect you.”

And she would, no matter what it took.

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of my favorite fics to write for the Showdown and I plan to continue it!
> 
> Find this fic as well as more drabbles, prompts, and answered questions on my tumblr: rumplestiltskinsbulge.tumblr.com


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